8/13/2007 @ 12:00PM

Satisfying India's Auto Appetite

Tata

Established in 1945 to produce locomotives and steamrollers, Tata Motors has spent the past half-century morphing into India’s largest auto company. With 18% of last years $7.2 billion in sales coming from exports, Tata has emerged as a major player in the international auto market. It’s even said to be considering a bid for Ford’s Jaguar and Land Rover brands. Next year it plans to release the Rs One Lakh, the world’s cheapest car. With a projected sticker price of 100,000 rupees, roughly $2,500, Tata hopes to grab the lion’s share of India’s emerging middle-class market.